Houndwood Housing: ICON

• Location:

  Street, Somerset UK

• Site Area:

  10.7 Hectares

• Client:

  C&J Clark Properties
  Crest Nicholson

• Architects:

  Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios

• Engineers:

  Arup

• Quantity Surveyors:

  Gleeds

• Collaborators:

  Planning Consultant: Alder King
  Art works: Forge Projects
  Ben Hamilton-Baillie

• Project value:

  £50 million

The aim for ICON is to create a rich and unique landscape environment that will become a cherished home for the residents of 400 new homes and contribute to the civic qualities of Street.  The design is based on providing semi-private green streets and mews which have a sense of ‘belonging’ to a small number of households.

A walk through the site takes in a sequence of different spaces, characters and purposes.  In and around the development there are open spaces including formal avenues, wild habitat areas, landscaped zones and a village green.  There are also pocket parks dotted throughout and a linear park with places to play.

The landscape is envisaged as hard-working and functional: ponds and reed beds that reflect the local landscape of the Somerset levels also contribute to surface water management.  Orchards and herb gardens are productive as well as attractive, and willow planting enhances the microclimate and increases biomass.

The street plan uses innovative ‘shared space’ design principles, which offer equal rights for cars, pedestrians and cyclists and encourage them to mix in a calmed environment.